Video lottery terminals comprise non-volatile memory (traditionally, using EPROMs) for storage of game applications, operating systems, graphics and audio information. Of course, it is important that the operating system, game particulars and terminal configuration applicable to each VLT be maintained highly confidential in order to maintain the integrity of the lottery function. In the past the storage devices (semiconductor EPROM chips) containing the confidential terminal software were reprogrammed manually, on a terminal by terminal basis, by removing the chips from an electronic board socket in which they were installed, inserting them into a programmer device which reprogrammed them and then reinstalling the reprogrammed chips into the sockets of the electronic board. However, this method is labour intensive (costly in both time and money) and is subject to security failures through unauthorized copying and replacement of the storage chips.
More recently, newer package Flash™ technology has made available in-circuit programmable storage devices, referred to as Flash™ EEPROM chips, which can be programmed (and reprogrammed) without the use of a programmer by providing extra logic inside the chips which enables in-circuit reprogramming. These in-circuit reprogrammable chips are soldered directly to the logic card inside the VLT and, thus, are not easily tampered with through removal and replacement with an unauthorized chip.
Downloading of software to a VLT according to the foregoing may be done by remote or local downloading. Remote downloading achieves the delivery of new software to a VLT from a host device which is not directly connected to the VLT but is instead linked to it by means of a network link such as a wide area network (WAN) via a modem (analog, ISDN, etc.) or radio link. Such WAN-based systems are very dependent upon a wide area network controller referred to as the central site system. The advantages of remote downloading range from very low operating costs for the customer, to higher reliability of the terminal, to better response capability to market needs. Local downloading achieves the downloading of new software to a VLT by manually locating the software at each terminal and downloading the software using a direct communications link (i.e. a serial link such as RS232 or Ethernet, optical link such as IrDA, or a parallel link which provides the advantage of high transfer speed).
Local downloading does not heavily depend on the central system in use and, like remote downloading, provides the basic advantage of lowered operating costs for the customer (in that the chips do not have to be manually erased, reprogrammed and inserted into logic boards), higher reliability of the terminal, and a gain in ability to respond in a timely manner to market needs. A further advantage provided by local downloading, over remote downloading, is that the downloading operation can be performed without regard to the central system in use (from the central system's point of view there is no difference between a local download and a traditional chip reprogramming by removal). The disadvantage, however, is that trained technicians must still be sent to each machine to perform the upgrade.
The availability of means for achieving such local and remote downloading advantageously offers increased potential for improved security to VLT operators but the actual ability to achieve improved security is thereby rendered dependent on the integrity and security of the downloading system itself. Accordingly, there is a need for providing improved security to the downloading operation for downloading software to a VLT.